Putting surveillance data into context: The role of health care utilization surveys in understanding population burden of pneumonia in developing countries

Meredith Deutscher; Chris Van Beneden; Deron Burton; Alvin Shultz; Oliver W. Morgan; Shadi Chamany; Hannah T. Jordan; Xingyou Zhang; Brendan Flannery; Daniel R. Feikin; Beatrice Olack; Kim A. Lindblade; Robert F. Breiman; Sonja J. Olsen

doi:10.1016/j.jegh.2012.03.001

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Volume 2, Issue 2, June 2012, Pages 73 - 81

Putting surveillance data into context: The role of health care utilization surveys in understanding population burden of pneumonia in developing countries

Authors

Meredith Deutscher^a, Chris Van Beneden^a, Deron Burton^a, Alvin Shultz^b, Oliver W. Morgan^b, Shadi Chamany^a^{, c}^{, 1}, Hannah T. Jordan^a^{, c}^{, 1}, Xingyou Zhang^b, Brendan Flannery^a, Daniel R. Feikin^d, Beatrice Olack^d, Kim A. Lindblade^e^{, f}, Robert F. Breiman^d^{, f}, Sonja J. Olsen^b^{, g}^{, h}^{, *}^,sco2@cdc.gov

^aRespiratory Diseases Branch, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

^bDivision of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

^cNew York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA

^dInternational Emerging Infections Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kenya

^eInternational Emerging Infections Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Regional Office for Central America and Panama, Guatemala City, Guatemala

^fCenter for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

^gInternational Emerging Infections Program, Thailand MOPH – US CDC Collaboration, Nonthaburi, Thailand

^hInfluenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

¹

Present address: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA.

^*Corresponding author. Address: CDC Box 68, American Embassy, APO, AP 96546, USA. Tel.: +66 2 580 0669; fax: +66 2 580 0911.

Corresponding Author

Sonja J. Olsensco2@cdc.gov

Received 11 September 2011, Accepted 27 March 2012, Available Online 22 May 2012.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2012.03.001 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Pneumonia; Comparative study; Patient acceptance of health care; Population surveillance; Health care
Abstract: Background: Surveillance is essential to estimating the global burden of pneumonia, yet differences in surveillance methodology and health care-seeking behaviors limit inter-country comparisons.

Methods: Results were compared from community surveys measuring health care-seeking for pneumonia defined as: (1) cough and difficulty breathing for ⩾2 days; or, (2) provider-diagnosed pneumonia. Surveys were conducted in six sites in Guatemala, Kenya and Thailand; these sites also conduct, active, hospital- and population-based disease surveillance for pneumonia.

Results: Frequency of self-reported pneumonia during the preceding year ranged from 1.1% (Thailand) to 6.3% (Guatemala) and was highest in children aged <5 years and in urban sites. The proportion of persons with pneumonia who sought hospital-based medical services ranged from 12% (Guatemala, Kenya) to 80% (Thailand) and was highest in children <5 years of age. Hospitals and private provider offices were the most common places where persons with pneumonia sought health care. The most commonly cited reasons for not seeking health care were: (a) mild illness; (b) already recovering; and (3) cost of treatment.

Conclusions: Health care-seeking patterns varied widely across countries. Using results from standardized health care utilization surveys to adjust facility-based surveillance estimates of pneumonia allows for more accurate and comparable estimates.
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 2 - 2
Pages: 73 - 81
Publication Date: 2012/05/22
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2012.03.001 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Meredith Deutscher
AU  - Chris Van Beneden
AU  - Deron Burton
AU  - Alvin Shultz
AU  - Oliver W. Morgan
AU  - Shadi Chamany
AU  - Hannah T. Jordan
AU  - Xingyou Zhang
AU  - Brendan Flannery
AU  - Daniel R. Feikin
AU  - Beatrice Olack
AU  - Kim A. Lindblade
AU  - Robert F. Breiman
AU  - Sonja J. Olsen
PY  - 2012
DA  - 2012/05/22
TI  - Putting surveillance data into context: The role of health care utilization surveys in understanding population burden of pneumonia in developing countries
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 73
EP  - 81
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2012.03.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2012.03.001
ID  - Deutscher2012
ER  -

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